Melica persica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–3 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; equilateral, or secund; 3.5–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5.5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.5–6.5 mm long; 0.33–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–10 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface villous; with tubercle-based hairs. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Pak 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.